Grief is like the ocean. It's deep and dark and bigger than all of us.
And pain is like a thief in the night... quiet, persistent, unfair... diminished by time and faith and love
- Samantha Walker

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nino walked into the penthouse and collapsed onto his knees. The tears were coming thick and fast, and his heart was breaking. He'd just arrived back after taking Marinette to the hospital, they'd rushed her into surgery but it wasn't looking good.

Alya came out of her room to see Nino curled up on the floor. She ran over to him and engulfed him in her arms. Giving him time to settle, she rocked him gently to and fro.

"I'm here, Nino. I'm here." He grabbed hold of her top and cried more. He couldn't find his voice but knew he had to tell her. This was going to push her over the edge, he was meant to save her. He was meant to look after her.

"It's ... it's Marinette." Alya froze at Nino's words.

"What's Marinette?" He could feel her begin to shake.

"She's injured badly, she's dying Alya." Alya collapsed down onto her knees next to Nino and just stared at him. "Carapace ... Carapace and Chat Noir just couldn't get there quick enough. We - they couldn't save her." Alya was numb. No tears escaped she was just paralysed. Standing up with little control she walked over to the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of wine.

She didn't even think about finding a glass and put it straight to her mouth. Drinking to numb her thoughts to match the feeling in her body sounded like a good idea to her. Marinette was dying? That's what Nino said. Before the liquid touched her lips she stopped and placed it back down. She'd come too far to screw it all up now, Marinette needed her. She refused to spiral down the rabbit hole again.

"Is Adrien there?" Nino nodded wiping the tears under his glasses. "Sabine? Tom?" Nino nodded again. "Then they need us too. We need to be strong for them." She picked up her jacket and bag, and walked to the door. She turned around and looked at Nino. "You going to come and help your best friend or not?"

———————————————

Tom had his hand on the back of the broken boy sitting next to him and Sabine went to speak to the doctor.

"I'm so sorry." Adrien repeated over and over again. He's knees were bouncing up and down and the tears kept falling. Plagg was sitting in his jacket pocket stroking him trying to give him some comfort. His hands went in his hair and he pulled it tight.

This can't be happening, he thought, I can't lose her. She's mine.

Sabine came over and sat down next to Tom with a sigh. She looked between Adrien and Tom to be met with Tom shaking his head. Adrien was not in a stable state. The doctor had given her a briefing on Marinette's condition and it could go either way.

"She's got a bleed in her brain, a punctured lung and a break in her spine, along with other breaks and bruising. They're not sure yet the severity. It'll all depend on what happens when she's out of theatre and they can monitor her on a machine."

Adrien stood up and walked over to the desk slamming his credit card on the counter.

"I don't care how much it costs you're going to get that girl in there the best God damn doctors you can find."

"Mr Agreste, please calm down. Your father has rang and all that has been sorted for Ms Dupain-Cheng. We're flying in the best doctors as we speak. Please trust us. She's in the safest place."

"Adrien." He turned to look who was calling his name when red hair filled his face. Alya was wrapped tightly around him, hugging on for dear life. Nino walked towards the pair and put his arms around too. "We're here, and we won't leave until you tell us to." Alya could feel Adrien shake under her arms.

"I can't live without her, Alya. I refuse to." Sabine stood up to take Adrien in her arms from Alya.

"Sweetheart, look at me." Sabine gently touched Adrien's chin and pulled his face to look at hers. "She's a fighter. You know she's too stubborn to die without it being her choice." Adrien nodded into the small ladies shoulder and she kissed him on the head. "She needs you to be strong. You are the greatest thing to ever happen to her ... you've always been her biggest supporter and protector, nows the time you do it more than ever. For your lady." Adrien nodded and felt a little strength reappear. He would do this for his lady, the love of his life, his world.

"Monsieur Agreste." A Doctor in green operation scrubs called him. Sabine gave Adrien a nod and he made his way over.

"She's in an extremely critical state but we've got her stable for the moment and comfortable. There's not a lot more we can do right now, we just need to monitor her injuries over the next couple of days before deciding whether to operate again. Monsieur Agreste, has your girlfriend visited the doctors recently?"

Wiping his eyes roughly with the heel of his hands, Adrien responded, "I'd noticed she was getting tired easily and losing a lot of weight so begged her to go see the doctor. She had an appointment booked for tomorrow."

"I'm sure you both would have liked to hear this news together under different circumstances but due to the risk I need to let you know now, in case of any complications -"

"Just tell me, please."

"Marinette is around 10 weeks pregnant," the doctor continued talking but Adrien couldn't hear. He felt like someone had stabbed him in the heart. He stumbled backwards into the reception desk only to have Nino run over to him. He could see Nino's lips moving but nothing was making sense. Sabine joined the boys trying to calm down and comfort Adrien.

"Our priority is to keep Marinette alive and well, we unfortunately can't make any promises about the baby, with what she's been through it's most likely she will miscarry."

The anger inside Adrien was a roaring flame. He pulled himself out of Nino's grip and started walking towards the emergency staircase. Nino chased after him along with a very worried Tom.

"Adrien," Nino begged. "Please don't do this!"

"That bastard tried to kill her, Nino, he tried to kill all of us." They were hidden away in the exit stairwell giving them the freedom to speak.

"Kid, you know if you kill them it'll effect how I work. I can't keep you good if you decide to do something bad." Plagg looked terrified for Adrien. He could feel the anger radiating off Adrien's aura. He pulled the earrings out of his pocket.

"Tom, ask Sabine or Alya to put these in Mari's ears. Tikki needs to be by her side." The big man nodded at Adrien, fearful at what the young adult may be going to do.

"Adrien, I'm not going to stop you but please think of Marinette. Think of your future. You're better than a revenge kill." Adrien nodded before muttering his transformation words. With a quick nod he bounded up the stairs and out into Paris.

—————————————————

Felix had awoken to the worst pain he'd ever experienced. Every bone in his body felt broken and every muscle bruised. He placed one hand on this throbbing head and thought back to what happened. Ladybug was powerful, and if his theory was correct she'd only just accessed her new powers. She looked as shocked and surprised by it as he had. He remembered the pain of when her ladybugs had attacked him, striking his torso at such force it instantly took his breath away knocking him out cold.

"You're useless!" Nathalie had walked into the room and was looking at Felix. "Kagami's ring has gone, and if I hadn't have turned up when I did Ladybug would have most certainly killed you. You said you could handle this!"

"Oh back off! If you had done your job in the first place I wouldn't be in a live or die situation."

"My job!" Nathalie shouted out exasperated, "your mother guaranteed that Emilie would not come back! She said the rings would stop it from happening. She lied and deserves to be in that nut house."

"How can you say that? She was your best friend. If it wasn't for your jealousy over Gabriel and Emilie none of this would have happened. You do realise Adrien will not let this lie! We're both as good as dead."

"What has this got to do with Adrien?"

"You don't know do you?" Félix felt a smirk appear on his face. Finally he was one up on Nathalie. "Marinette's Ladybug meaning her beloved Cat-like boyfriend is -"

"Adrien." Nathalie collapsed in a chair. She hadn't meant for Adrien to get dragged into all this. She'd treat the boy like he was her own child; if it wasn't for Emilie reappearing she was certain that herself, Gabriel and Adrien could have been a happy family.

That was the reason why she was doing all this. She wanted Gabriel but knew as long as Emilie was around there was no chance of that happening. When Ladybug had managed to bring Emilie back Nathalie was shocked. She was certain there was no chance of that happening, the 'broken' Miraculous was almost a guarantee she'd be comatose forever. Ladybug, although young, was a lot more resourceful that she'd thought.

She thought it was unfair; she'd stood by the family for so long only to be turned away as soon as Emilie was back. She'd done everything for Gabriel, even going along with his crazy plans to get Ladybug and Chat's Miraculous'.

Adrien would have ended up being collateral damage. There's no way he wouldn't have fought to keep his mother safe; especially now she was back in his life.

"I can't believe you're doing this all for the love of my stuck up uncle." Félix tried to sit up, "is it really worth it? So many people have been hurt."

"There's nothing greater than love."

"You're a psycho! Here -" he took off his ring and threw it at Nathalie, "I'm done."

"You don't get to tell me when you're done. I've put too much into this for it to end now."

"Just face it! You've lost! Gabriel loves Aunt Emilie and he always will. If anything happens to Marinette I will never forgive myself!"

"You're wrong, he loves me!" She hissed back, spraying spit over Felix's face. "She just came back and messed it up. Ladybug and Chat Noir deserve everything coming to them. They took my life away." Nathalie stood up and walked over to Felix, he flinched back unsure what to do.

"Adrien and Marinette don't deserve any of this. They are heroes, they have literally put themselves on the line to protect people, they love each other ... it's true and wholesome. They deserve to be together more than you and Gabriel." Nathalie pulled her arm back and released it smacking Felix fully round his already bruised and battered face.

"You don't get it, do you? I offered you power and opportunity, are you seriously throwing it back into my face? This isn't a fairytale Felix, love doesn't conquer all."

Suddenly a voice struck from outside the doorway.

"You're wrong Nathalie. Love does conquer all. How do you think Ladybug and Chat Noir got my mother back?"

"Give it up Adrien, this is no time to try and be a hero. Shouldn't you be with your little lady in the hospital. We wouldn't want Ladybug to die now, would we?"

He looked at the two angry individuals in front of him. "How dare you both! My whole family trusted you, Marinette trusted you and now she's in intensive care and might not make it because of your own selfish desires."

Felix tried to get up. He needed Adrien to know how truly sorry he was about everything. He stood up shakily and made his way over to the worshipped hero, but before a word could slip out his mouth his back was slammed against the wall with an arm crushing his windpipe.

"How dare you hurt her! She means everything to me. She's pregnant Felix. My baby is dying because of you." Whilst Adrien's back was turned Nathalie tried to make her way out the room only to be stopped at the door by Kagami.

"Oh look, the Samurai has came to defend the one she loves. How sweet! Darling, how does it feel to not be loved back." Kagami was fired with rage and punched Nathalie square in the face.

"I heard everything you said. How dare you bring me into this mess?" She walked over to Adrien and placed her arms on his to encourage him to realise his hold on Felix. "Adrien, if I knew it was all black magic I swear I would of had nothing to do with this ... this scheme."

He released his hold slightly on Felix so he could breathe again. Letting out a few hoarse coughs Felix tried to talk.

"Adrien please I love Kagami it's just I've always been jealous of you. Your perfect in every way, I can't live up to that."

Adrien dropped Felix to the ground and Kagami dropped down level with him.

"You love me? Really?"

"Yes, Kagami. I'm just so sorry I haven't shown you what you truly mean to me. My love for power was too strong and I was too weak to resist." Felix's eyes began to glisten with unshed tears. "I am so so sorry."

Adrien looked round the room and noticed Nathalie was no longer there. He stormed towards the door only to be pulled away by the ringing of his phone. Pulling it out his pocket he read the name on the display. It's Sabine.

"I swear to God if either of you do anything to me or my family again, I will not hesitate to kill you. I expect both your resignations on my desk tomorrow morning." With one last look he spotted something on the floor. Reaching down he grabbed Felix's ring and walked out the door, answering the phone.

"Adrien, sweetie, we need you to come back now." There's a snuffle on the other side of the phone before a broken voice continued. "It's ... it's not good."